Dead Age
by nivet
Summary: Leliana loves stories. A storm strands here at a fort and here curiosity gets the best of her. This story is more disturbing than any she has heard before. Fortunately, stories are just stories. Aren't they?
1. Chapter 1

_Hello Dragon Age fans. This is my first story for this fine franchise. I hope my reviewers from Mass Effect and Mortal Kombat are interested in this story, and I hope all of you here enjoy my story. As I've said in my other stories, reviews that are good or bad are appreciated, and suggestions are always welcome. I wasn't really interested in this series at first, and bought Origins for twenty dollars on a whim. Probably one of the best buys I've ever made. The Lord of the Rings feel, lore, and story really hooked me. What really made me a die hard fan was how you could interact with your party members, especially in camp. This was the only advantage I thought it had over Mass Effect, giving people meaningful gifts and getting into love triangles. All the dlc was great too, though I was disappointed by Leliana's Song. As for Dragon Age 2, I don't agree with a lot of the hate its getting, I really enjoyed it, but it just wasn't on par with the original. It aspired to be too much like Mass Effect, I thought. Any way here is some info on my Warden and Hawke._

_Warden_

_Human Noble Warrior_

_Sided with Mages, Elves, Harrowmont, destroyed Anvil of void, healed Eamon_

_Did not destroy Andrastes ashes_

_Saved Connor, Loghain joined wardens, Allistair and Arnora married, did dark ritual_

_Friends with all companions, romanced Morrgian first, then became 'friends' with her, and then romanced Leliana_

_Saved city in Amaranthine, spared architect, all party members survived( velanna questionable)_

_Completed Golems of Amgarrack_

_Reconciled with Morrigan(made out with her) then let her go through the Eluvian alone_

_Hawke_

_Warrior_

_Bethany joined circle_

_Completed all companion quests (Fenris didn't kill his sister, Merrill left the Dalish with me, Varric didn't kill Bartrand, Aveline got with Donnic, Isabella got her ship and freedom from Castillon, I helped Anders bomb the Chantry, oops, and Sebastian avenged his family.)_

_Earned the Arishok's respect, then killed him.  
><em>

_Sided with the mages._

_Sided with Laurious in Legacy._

_The Warden and Hawke won't have a huge role in the story, but just in case there it all is._

* * *

><p>The journey into the Anderfels had taken a turn for the worse. This country was known for having extreme weather and Leliana, Cassandra, and the small group of Seekers were experiencing it first hand. A monstrous thunder storm fell upon them, turning the sky black and dousing most of the light despite it being only about two hours after noon. Heavy rain poured straight down and very strong winds charged them from the front like a person were pushing them. The group eight traveled lightly, but with the weather, they may as well as have brought three wagons at the speed they were going.<p>

"The Maker frowns upon us today!" Cassandra said from the front of the group, barely able to hear herself over the gust of wind and crack of thunder.

"Or it could just be our bad luck!" Leliana replied with orange hair flying in her face.

The two of them were second in the line of Seekers. Behind them were Malik, Secoria, and Byrom who were all from Antiva. Behind the three of them was Dagon, from Ferelden. Bringing up the rear was the oldest member of their group, Francois from Orlais. In front of even Leliana and Cassandra walked Voltimand. He was noticeable ahead of the rest of them. Since he was the only one who wore a helmet, the wind probably didn't hinder him as much.

"Voltimand don't go too far ahead!" Leliana shouted to him.

Voltimand's pace slowed ever so slightly and his only acknowledgment was to turn his head only enough that the eye slit stared at Leliana like an empty eye. Leliana tried not to act surprised by this, but it was hard to hide even with the wind and rain. She honestly wasn't sure of Voltimand, he hadn't said maybe two words to her since meeting in Kirkwall. Also, he was from Tevinter. What a native of the magic dominated country would gain from helping the right hand of the Divine, she did not know. From what Cassandra had told her, Voltimand was too effective an agent to question.

"He's not much of a talker is he?" Leliana said.

"I don't bring him along to talk. He is more lets his work do the talking." Cassandra replied.

"Don't you wonder about him, he is from Tevinter after all."

"I'm not worried about him being some acolyte of the Black Divine. To be honest, I doubt he has much faith in the Chantry at all, but he worked for the Divine herself before being placed in this group. That is enough for me, and I can't deny his effectiveness."

Leliana conceded to this only to stare at Voltimand's back again, as they had managed to close the distance after he slowed down. She almost stepped on his heels when he stopped abruptly and drew both of his long swords. Everyone else did the same with their collective arsenals of bows, daggers, war axes and shields.

"What is wrong Voltimand?" Cassandra asked in a commanding tone.

"I smell them nearby." He replied cryptically.

"Smell who?" Leliana asked.

Voltimand's reply was to kick her in the stomach so that she fell to the ground. Initially surprised and winded, Leliana saw a barbaric looking arrow plant itself into the tree a millisecond after her head had moved out of the way. She had see that type of arrow plenty of times before.

"Them." Voltimand said while pointing one of his swords towards the tree line.

Shadows moved about the already darkened trees. The fact that they looked so similar to humans was more disturbing than the monstrous truth. The Hurlocks came sprinting out of the bush and trees wielding their weapons, looking as much like corrupted swords as the Darkspawn looked like corrupted men. Leliana, Secoria and Byrom let loose their arrows onto the charging mob of darkspawn. Out of stupidity or rage induced ferocity the Hurlocks continued their charge even as some of them fell with arrow riddled bodies. The group of twenty was downsized to fourteen before they reached the awaiting swordsmen. With one swift motion two Hurlocks lost their heads to both of Voltimand's blades before he cut the legs off of a third one. Malik used his shield to bash them away and then cleaving their head in two with his axe. Cassandra expertly parried every sword strike before cutting gruesome throats and and piercing black hearts. Dagon and Francois each plowed through the Hurlocks with their battle axe and claymore. Five Hurlocks remained to stand against them, until something around eight feet tall and wielding a weapon of the same length came roaring towards them. The other Hurlocks fought more ferociously at the sound of the creatures roar.

"Move Malik!" Leliana shouted.

It was too late. The Hurlock Alpha was upon Malik and already bring down it's massive axe. Malik raised his sheild in vain as the Alpha's incredible strength pulverized the shield and knocking Malik to the ground. Showing sadism that was a byproduct of his greater intelligence, the Alpha stomped on Malik's leg, break it instantly. The rejuvenated Hurlocks prevented Cassandra and the others to get to him. The Alpha roared with the thunder, making it seem all the more fearsome. Before it could deliver the killing blow, Leliana jumped onto it's back with her dagger and stabbed it furiously between the armor. The beast thrashed her around like a child but she held on. Cassandra defeated her irate opponent and rushed to Leliana's aid by thrusting her sword into the Alpha's knee. The Alpha was on his hands and knees with Leliana still on his back. She was able to pull herself up more and stab him in the jugular. Timing it perfectly, she pulled the dagger out and moved to the side to not get sprayed with the poisonous blood. The two women left the creature to die and the rest of the Hurlocks were killed off quickly, with Voltimand crushing the skull of the legless one beneath his boot.

"Secoria, how is Malik?" Cassandra asked.

"He is unconscious, and his knee is broken."

"We need to get him out of this storm." Leliana said.

"Cassandra, look!" Dagon pointed to the east.

The storm made it hard to see anything, but the skilled eyes of a Seeker could make out the light of many torches in the distance.

"Good eyes Dagon. Everyone, we're moving!" Cassandra ordered.

Francois and Byrom carried Malik carefully along with them. Leliana was about to join them when she noticed Volitmand wasn't following them. She waited for him to come himself, but the increasing intensity of the rain, wind, thunder and lightning made her lose patience.

"Voltimand, everyone is moving out."

"No arrows." He said without turning.

"Arrows?"

"None of these darkspawn have a quiver of arrows."

Leliana remembered the arrow that had nearly killed her had Voltimand not saved her.

"We can't worry about that right now. Malik needs to get help quickly"

Voltimand turned and walked towards her. She could feel his gaze from beneath his helmet. His eyes were actually visible from within. They were a cold gray, which made his black pupils piercingly intense. He didn't look at her angrily, happily, or even admiring her looks. He just look completely focused on her. Leliana couldn't help but stare right back at him.

"You shouldn't let people who try to hurt you get away with it. It gives them the impression that they are good enough to try it again. But your right, Malik needs help. After you Leliana."

Leliana finally tore her gaze from his and hurried to catch up to the others. She still felt a gaze upon her.

* * *

><p>The Hurlock archer watched the humans leave the area where his brothers lay dead. To engage them now would be suicide. If he got back to the tribe, he could bring more of his kin to overwhelm these humans. The Hurlock moved through the ever darkening forest towards the tribe's territory. The storm picked up again and the silence was suffocating, but his kind was accustomed to the dark. He used his sense of smell to try and gain the scent of the tribe. What he smelt was, a corpse's stench. Something scurried behind him. The Hurlock turned and the scuffling sound was behind him again. Every way he turned it was behind him. He stopped and listened. The scuffling sound was behind him once again. Taking a breath, the Hurlock jumped back and turned to land on top of something. It thrashed around violently in his hands. A fox. The Hurlock snarled and tossed the whimpering animal away, sparing it. Growling from frustration, the Hurlock titled his head back so that he could sniff the air again. As soon as he did, something sharp plunged into his forehead.<p>

* * *

><p>Perhaps an hour and a half were the Seekers trekking across rough country through the violent storm. They had to slow down considerably in order to not distress Malik too much. He had regained consciousness, unfortunately, and grunted at every bump. Finally they were close enough to make out the structure before them. It was large, it looked like a fort. The walls were high, higher than even Amaranthine's. Torches and cauldrons burned brightly with fire to show no guards atop the walls. Cassandra used the iron knocker on the large wooden door, and the sound resonated loudly. No response came, so she knocked again. Another knock, no response.<p>

"Hello! Is anyone there? We have wounded and need help!" Cassandra shouted.

The door cracked open slightly, and a warm glow poured through the crack into the black night. A guard stuck his head out and eyed them all.

"I don't like the look of you, move along." He said.

"Move along? She just told you that our friend is hurt, and do you really expect us to go anywhere in this storm?" Leliana asked him.

"Yes I do. We've already got enough trouble sheltering all these townsfolk and farmers without some bandits coming in. Now shove off!"

"We are not bandits you fool. We are Seekers, and in the name of the Divine and the Chantry I demand you let us in." Cassandra said with authority.

"Ooooo! The Divine! Well in the name of me, since I'm the guard on duty, I demand that you go shove those swords..."

"That's enough Marlin." A deep voice said from the other side of the door.

The guard, now named Marlin, was pulled aside by a heavy hand and the was pulled open more by another. What they saw none of them expected to see. A Qunari.

"Greetings Seekers. I am Caron, captain of the guard here a fort Ishimura. Come in."

Caron opened the door fully and the Seekers went inside. Marlin just scoffed at Caron and stomped off down the hall.

"Thank you Caron, but our friend here is hurt and needs help." Cassandra said.

"We have a healer that can help your friend. Take him down the hall here and tell the guard that Caron wants him to show you to the healer."

"Thank you. Bryon, Francois, take Malik to the healer and make sure he is taken care of." Cassandra ordered the to men.

They carried Malik off, leaving Cassandra and Leliana, Dagon and Secoria, and Voltimand with Caron.

"Caron, I'm afraid I must ask you to let us stay until this storm blows over." Cassandra told the Qunari.

"Well if you were hoping for privacy, you'll be disappointed. People from farms and rural villages stay here yearly to avoid this annual storm."

"This storm comes about every year?"

"Indeed, but it is unusually powerful this time around. No matter, this fort is more than equipped to wait it out."

"What do you mean wait it out?" Voltimand asked suspiciously.

"This storm doesn't usually blow over in one night. At the longest, it has lasted about nearly four days."

"But we have pressing matters to attend to."

"I wouldn't recommend that you try and brave it, but no one is keeping you here. Although, your friend will not survive out there."

"Well then I guess we're stuck here, at least for the time being."

"It won't be all that bad, I'm sure. Allow me to show you to somewhere you can stay. Follow me to the Pit." Caron said walking away.

They followed Caron through the winding tunnels of fort Ishimura. From how much they had been walking, the fort must have been massive, at least twice that of fort Draken. Guards patrolled the halls and farmers and townsfolk were seen eating, cleaning, and working the forges. The age group ranged from hunched elders to children and toddlers even.

"Caron, what is the Pit?" Leliana asked.

"This fort was built over an old underground Dwarven city. It was discovered by miners centuries ago. We've done our best to restore it over the years, but mostly we just use it for housing and trading. The city extends farther out beneath the ground than the fort does above it. I don't think it has even been fully explored yet."

"Where they're any dark spawn in the city?"

"Actually, no, too my knowledge at least. Apparently spiders were one hell of a pest, but that is about the worst of it. There is no trace of dark spawn on the city at all. See for yourself."

They exited the long hall they were in to a huge cavern. Leliana was shocked by how much it looked like Orzammar, without the rivers of magma though. It made the city look noticeably dark, even with all the torches scattered about. People bustled about the center, browsing through stalls set up all over the place. Many of the buildings were even occupied by families.

"It's like you resurrected this city from the dead!" Leliana.

"Never underestimate the entrepreneurial spirit." Caron said.

"All these people confined in here, I don't know how they deal with it." Voltimand whispered.

"From what we have been told by Dwarf historians, this building was a beer hall or tavern. Rooms are available, just tell the inn keeper that I gave you permission to stay and he should give you the rooms for free. Anything else you might want, that is up to you to obtain." Caron said before leaving.

The inside of the tavern was like any other one. Loud, warm, and bustling with drunks. Leliana remembered the tavern where she had met the Warden being similar, though the mood here was far more cheerful. Cassandra returned from speaking to the inn keeper with a set of keys.

"He had two rooms available, which means we are sharing. Leliana can stay with me. Voltimand, Dagon and Secoria will take the other room. We'll rotate sleeping hours for Francois and Byron. All of you get settled, if you have gold and want to use it go ahead. We are probably going to be stuck here for a few days. Try not to get too drunk." She said seriously and playfully at the same time.

Dagon laughed, for he was the one this was meant for.

"It looks like we'll be sharing a bed Secoria." He said.

"I think I'll sleep on the ground." Secoria said smiling.

Voltimand was already on his way to the room.

"Come on, it's not dignified for a woman to sleep on the ground when she has a man to sleep next to."

"If Voltimand isn't interested, and the floor is too uncomfortable, I'll consider it." Secoria told him before leaving.

"I didn't peg you for the creepy silent type." Dagon said joining her.

"I see why you chose me for a roommate." Leliana told Cassandra.

"Can you really blame me?" Cassandra asked with a smile.

Both of the women laughed as they retired to their own rooms. They changed out of their armor so that they only wore their street clothes. Leliana couldn't help but stare at Cassandra's curvaceous body. This was the first time she had seen Cassandra out of her armor, the first time she had seen her drop her professional demeanor and look so human. She reminded her of the Warden. Her friend. Her dear, dear friend. He was so kind and thoughtful, but a one man army in any fight. The thought of him made her happy and sad.

"Are you alright Leliana?" Cassandra asked.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something."

"You mean someone."

"I, yes. Someone."

"Is that why you joined the Seekers? So that you could find him?"

"War is coming to Thedas, and I wanted to do my part to stop it. The Warden will be instrumental to that end, him and Hawke. Wherever they are."

"We'll find them, but like Caron said, this storm makes it pointless to search. So for now, we should enjoy the downtime."

The downtime consisted of a few drinks, listening to music both classic and drunken, and just enjoying happy faces. It would be hard for one to think that these people were waiting out a storm that was potentially destroying their homes right now. If was entering into the late hours of the night, or at least she guessed, and Leliana was one of only a dozen people still not in their rooms. Even Cassandra had retired for the night. Most of the others still out were either cleaning or passed out. Most of the lights had been put out, making the already somewhat dark tavern gloomy. Carrying a lantern, Leliana sat down at a table by herself with a tankard of water.

"Not one for alcohol eh?" A hoarse voice said next to her.

Nearly jumping from her seat, Leliana shined the lantern on a cloaked man she didn't even notice. He was old, and had a gray beard and tired eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you sitting here."

"Please, stay. I should apologize for being so awkward in public. I doubt anyone noticed me here for the last five hours. Guess I'm too old to be good for anything anymore."

"Older people are helpful in many ways. They're good for remembering things." Leliana said smiling.

"Hah, what old people do you hang out with? I don't remember my own father, of course I only saw him twice. My whole life has turned into a blur of working a farm and putting up with this damn story for seventy years."

"I'm sure you have had something interesting happen to you in seventy years, mr..."

"Sigfried. Just call me Sigfried. And the most interesting things that I can remember are the Blight starting up in Ferelden and the mages fighting the templars in Kirkwall, but I wasn't anywhere near any of that."

"Well, what can you tell me about the Anderfels? I've never been here before, and all I've seen is rain and lighting so far."

"Well, the weather sucks, the people are devout, the soldiers are hard asses, and the Wardens have that fortress. Oh, and the first Blight happened here, fun."

"Surely your culture has more to it than just that."

"Well, since your the first person to take any kind of interest in me for years, let me ask you this. Do you enjoy stories?" Sigfried asked.

"Very much." Leliana said with clear excitement.

"Since it's dark as hell in here, and because a monstrous storm is raging, and because I am slowly becoming claustrophobic every time I come here, how would you like to hear an old Anderfel's tale that my mother told me to scare the shit out of me?"

Leliana moved the lantern so that the light just illuminated both of their faces and turned to him with full attention. Sigfried had his answer.

"Alright then. This is an old story that all Anders have nightmares about when hearing it. It's as fun to tell on nights like this as it is scary enough for people to leave the room when someone threatens to tell it. And I'll warn you right now, I have it on good authority that this story is true. This is the story of the perils and nightmares of Sir Isaac of Clarke."

The light from the lantern slowly died down and the shadows seemed to crowd around to hear the gruesome story as well.

* * *

><p><em>I know not much happened, and it wasn't that scary. This is my first time writing a horror fic and I'll admit that establishing a scary setting and maintaining it is hard. So if you have any tips, I'll be happy to see them. And if you haven't figured it out, this is a combo of Dragon Age and Dead Space. This is solely because of the Dead Space armor in dragon age. Honestly the Dead Space story confuses me no matter how much I play it so bear with me. Please read and review and tell me what you think.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Leliana listened to Sigrfried's story with rapt attention. She was enthralled by it; a small group of people investigating a castle, their encounter with horrible monsters, the bodily and mental torture that Ser Isaac of Clarke was forced to endure while trying to find a loved one and escape with his life. The fear inspired in her had her glancing around as the shadows played with the dimming light of her lantern. The story was a long one, if she had to guess she had been listening for about an hour. Sigrfried had heard this story for seventy years, and it showed in the way he told it. It was like he had lived it.

"And then, as the castle came crumbling down around him, Ser Isaac ran as fast as he could, clearing the entrance. When the dead castle had fallen to pieces, Ser Isaac removed his helmet for the first time in what seemed like ages. Still in possesion of the journal with the final hours of his dead lover, Nicole, recorded in it, Ser Isaac walked off into the night."

"What happened after that?" Leliana asked.

"Who knows?" Sigrfried stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Ser Isaac, was never seen again."

"You're speaking as if this story is real."

A slight smirk spread across Sigfried's lips and he reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and gave it too her. Curiously, Leliana unfolded it and found an odd picture scrawled on it, obviously old given the worn details. The picture depicted what looked like two tentacles, or horns, that wrapped around each other once. The finer details were impressive in their own right; being legible so clearly. Grooves or lines were etched into it, all along the object, and odd symbols plastered it. The picture made her uneasy.

"What is this?" Leliana asked.

"I know I told you that Ser Isaac was never seen again, but he must have met with someone before he disappeared from the world because this symbol is associated with that story. My great, great, great grandfather, maybe add one more great I'm not sure, anyway, he apparently drew this during the apex of his madness. It's been in my family ever since."

"Your insane ancestor drew this?"

"According to details passed down through my family, and that's a lot of quacks let me tell you, he believed that it was showing him all of it."

"All of what?"

"His visions, his thoughts. Whatever it was made him lose his marbles, especially when he was among a lot of people. It made the time he spent in this fort absolute torture for him and anybody near him, dangerous even."

Leliana looked at the picture again and then offered it back to Siegfried. He just held up his hand in denial.

"You can keep it." He told her.

"But its been in your family for so long." Leliana insisted.

"Bout time we got rid of it then eh? My family ends with me, no sense in hoarding 'treasures' anymore." He said and he stood up from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"Believe it or not, even underground I can tell when it's well into the night. I sleep in a small house not terribly far here."

"Would you like me to walk you there?" Leliana asked, standing now as well.

"Your sweet to offer young lady, but I'll be fine. Thank you for humoring an old man Leliana."

"Thank you for scaring me out of my wits." Leliana said appreciatively.

Siegfried chuckled as he stepped towards the door.

"Sleep well, if you can." He said before exiting the tavern.

Noticing how suffocating the darkness of the tavern was for the first time since sitting down to listen to the scary story, Leliana quickly grabbed her lantern, now a little more than a firefly worth of light, and started walking back towards the rooms. She peered into the room where Dagon, Secoria, and Voltimand stayed. Dagon's hopes of sharing a bed with Secoria hadn't come true; they both were sleeping in a separate bed. Curiously, she moved in a little more to see where Voltimand was. She saw him sitting in a chair next to the dead fireplace. He looked to be sleeping, with his head propped up on his fist. Aside from his helmet, he still wore his armor, oddly. Leliana pulled her head out before she woke somebody up and went into her room. Cassandra lay in bed, sleeping soundly. Leliana quietly crawled into her own bed and opened the lid on the lantern, intending to blow it out. Details of the story made her hesitate, and she decided instead to close the lid and let the warm light comfort her. She took out the paper with the strange and disturbing image and looked at it once more. It must have been the close proximity of the light, because the once very worn looking image now looked like it had been drawn moments ago. She folded it up and placed it in her shirt. She hoped that sleep came to her soon. The storm must have been terrible indeed, she could hear a slight rumbling even underground. It had to be thunder, what else could it have been?

* * *

><p>"Can't the healer do anymore?" Malik asked.<p>

"This isn't a cut, Malik. Your leg is broken, your knee shattered. The healer told you that you need to rest and let it heal, and that is what you are going to do." Francois told him.

"But I can stand, it only hurts a little..." Malik said stubbornly, trying to get up.

"Oh no you don't." Bryom said, forcing him to lay down again.

Malik grumbled to himself and conceded to remaining in bed.

"Well I don't need you two watching over me like I'm a child." Malik told them.

"Well you have been acting like one." Francois told him with a smile.

Byrom yawned heavily, and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Please, the two of you go sleep. It won't do our group any good if we have three crippled men." Malik said.

"Fine, but so help me if the healer tells us you've been trying to walk we are coming back here and tying you down. Come on Byrom." Francois said, and they left.

Malik adjusted uncomfortably in his bed, his leg being stiff as wood. He hated being stuck in one place, he felt so useless. He heard a scuffling sound, and he turned to it quickly. Aside from one torch on the wall, there was no other light source, the healer having put the rest out when she left. This left the room very dark. Whatever was scurrying about was staying in the shadows. A sudden crash of metal made him jump. A metal mug rolled into the light, something had knocked down a tray of silverware.

"Rats, I hate goddamn rats." Malik said as he turned over and tried to sleep again, doing his best to ignore the sounds of movement.

* * *

><p>"I tell you, I don't trust them." Marlin said, taking another bite out of his chunk of meat.<p>

"Why? What's wrong with them?" Arthur, the other guard on duty, asked him.

"They were armed! The only armed people out here are guards, soldiers, and bandits. All the guards for the farms and towns are here, the soldiers are away, so what does that leave us?" Marlin asked rhetorically.

"But look at them, they don't look like any bandits I've seen."

"And how many bandits have you encountered boy?" Marlin asked with his mouth full of another chunk of slightly under cooked meat.

"I.."

"None! And if you did, then I bet it wouldn't have been a group smart enough to loot armor from fallen enemies. And get this; one of them tried to get religious on me; "In the name of the Divine!" He said in a lady like voice.

"If you ask me, they're some fanatics coming here to cause trouble. Anyway I'm packing it in for the night."

"But Caron said.."

Marlin tossed his leg of meat, still with a generous amount of flesh on it, into Arthur's hands.

"Caron can shove it! Just watch the door, you owe me for covering your shift last time."

Arthur watched Marlin leave around the corner, leaving to guard the door alone. The leg meat seemed very unappetizing, with hints of raw flesh and Marlin's teeth marks. He opened the large doors and tossed it into the rain. Before he could close it, he noticed something in the distance. He squinted against the rain and stepped outside, closing the door behind him, shutting in the light. It looked like a person, though standing oddly, like they were injured.

"Hello!" He had to shout over the wind and thunder.

The person moved a little bit closer, they walked with an odd gait. They had to be injured.

"Please come, we have food and shelter and medicine!" Arthur stated with an outstretched hand.

A great flash of lightning illuminated them for the briefest of moments. Arthur reached for his sword but was suddenly covered by a disgusting, wretched liquid. His eyes burned, he coughed uncontrollably, and his skin felt like it was melting off. Something fell on him and wrestled him to the ground as more of the corrosive liquid was spewed onto him following the burping and snarls of the creature on top of him. His screams were lost among the thunder and wind.

* * *

><p>Leliana awoke to Cassandra frantically putting her armor back on. She was groggy, her sleep had been plagued by nightmares. It seems the story got to her more than she thought.<p>

"Come on Leliana." Cassandra said sternly.

"What's wrong?" Leliana asked groggily.

"Malik's gone."

"What? What do you mean gone?"

"I mean the healer came in to check on him and all she found was blood."

Leliana practically jumped out of bed and went to gather her own armor.

"There's no trace of him at all?"

"None, and there is something else. Caron sent word for us to meet him near the fort entrance."

"Why?"

"I don't know, the messenger was already white as snow and looked like he was ready to throw up."

Cassandra got her last boot on and left the room. Leliana took of her shirt to put on her cuirass. She noticed something fall to the ground, a piece of paper. She picked it up and realized it was the image that Siegfried had given to her last night. Upon looking at the picture, her nightmares came back to her suddenly.

"Leliana!" Cassandra shouted from the hallway.

Shaking her head, Leliana put the picture into her pocket and left with Cassandra.

* * *

><p><em>It has been a very longtime since I looked at this story, but I wanted to continue it. Please read it, enjoy it, and tell me what you think, good or bad.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

Cassandra, Dagon, Secoria, Voltimand and Leliana had to wade through the crowded walkways. Many of the other people that were sheltered in Fort Ishimura had awoken. Whatever had the guards so scared hadn't alerted any of them it seemed. The five of them pushed through the crowds and reached the stairs to head upwards to the higher levels. The traffic decreased as they climbed to higher levels, leaving the common area to the guard barracks, and currently they were on the level where things such as cooking and smithing were done. Leliana couldn't help yawning and rubbing her eyes because of her poor sleep.

"You were up late."

Leliana turned to see Voltimand walking just a few steps behind her. He had his helmet on again, unlike anyone else. It sounded like he was stating it as a matter of fact, rather than suggesting it.

"I'm just tired because I didn't sleep well." Leliana told him.

It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

"Is it because you were peering into other people's rooms just a few hours before we had received this abrupt wake up call?" Voltimand asked, rhetorically by the sound of it.

She kept her surprise hidden behind a fake smile, and she pretended to laugh at being caught.

"I thought you were sleeping..." She said, trying to be friendly.

She gave him a quick glance, and her guise almost fell apart when she saw one of his gray eyes focused on her. The inner dark of his helmet gave the white flesh an almost luminescent appearance. He hadnt just glanced at her, as she had at him, he had been staring at her.

"So what were you doing at such a late hour?" Voltimand asked her suspiciously.

"I was just with my own thoughts. What were you doing awake at such a late hour?"

She saw him blink beneath his helmet and then he turned from her, walking up further. Leliana was relieved, talking to him felt like an interrogation. After a few more minutes of walking they came upon a heated argument between Charon and the door guard Marlin. Francois was also present.

"Why would you leave him alone?" Charon asked Marlin angrily.

"I didn't think something like this would happen!"

"No one could have imagined this, but you still had a responsibility."

"The two of you please stop arguing, the rest of the Seekers are here." Francois told them.

"Charon, what is the situation?" Cassandra asked.

"There's some ugly pile of..." Marlin began.

"I think it's best if we just show you." Charon interrupted.

Cassandra nodded and gestured for everyone to follow, Francois included.

"Francois, where is Byrom?" Cassandra asked.

"He is with the healer, investigating Malik's whereabouts."

"When did you see him last?" Leliana asked.

"Just last night Leliana. Byrom and I made sure that he stayed in bed; but his leg was so damaged, he couldn't have left on his own no matter what."

"Did the healer help him to go anywhere?" Leliana tried.

"No, she came to check on him this morning and alerted Byrom and myself when all she found was some blood and knocked over dishes."

"Maybe he was taken by someone?" Leliana suggested.

"But who would do such a thing?" Cassandra asked.

"Seekers!" Charon shouted.

They all gave the Qunari their attention.

"This is the beginning of why I called you up here..."

He held up a torch to the wall, and the light revealed a gruesome sight. On the walls was some flesh like substance, climbing up the wall like how some plants do, or like a spiderweb. The tall man lifted the torch even higher to show the substance was climbing even higher to the ceiling.

"What is that? It looks like, skin and flesh." Leliana said, disgusted.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Marlin stated.

"Indeed. Please..." Charon started leading them further.

The group walked down the hall, most of them were disgusted. Dagon curiously moved closer to the wall, his hand reaching out to touch it...

"Dagon!" Secoria said, grabbing his wrist.

"What?" Dagon asked.

"Do you really think that is wise?" Secoria asked.

"Aw, you do care." Dagon teased.

Secoria rolled her eyes.

"Just don't touch it." She told him.

"What is the worst that could happen?" Dagon reached again.

"Don't touch it Dagon." Cassandra ordered sternly.

"Yes Cassandra." Dagon said.

The path they walked became more and more, corrupted, by the grotesque substance. It even covered the floors now, and every step they took gave a gross squish.

"By the Maker ..." Leliana exclaimed.

They had walked back to the entrance to the fort. The two great doors were absolutely covered by the corruption, no trace of them could be seen. What caught everyone's attention was the ball of flesh protruding from it at ground level.

"What is that?" Cassandra asked.

"If I had to guess..." Charon began.

He turned to torch toward the thing, and it was illuminated, revealing just how terrible it was. A head, cut and mangled, rested upon its neck, not moving. Aside from that, it had no arms or legs, rather tentacle like growths held it to the door. It's body was also cut and mangled, with what looked like an oversized belly.

"I think it is the remains of one of our guards, Arthur." Charon said solemnly.

"That is a man?" Dagon asked in disbelief.

"Was a man." Voltimand corrected.

"What could have done this?" Cassandra asked.

"I hoped that you would know Cassandra. You encountered Darkspawn out in the wilderness right?" Charon asked.

"Yes, but I never have seen anything like this from the Darkspawn."

Marlin approached what was once Arthur. He may not have considered him a friend, but he couldn't help feeling guilty.

"Damn boy, what happened to you?"

Suddenly, Arthur started screaming in pain.

"Damn!" Marlin yelled, running back from it.

Everyone drew their weapons, not sure what to expect. Arthur was writhing against the wall, yelling and screaming. The sight made some of them more than a little disgusted.

"He is still alive, we need to help him!" Leliana said.

"Wait, don't go near it. "Cassandra ordered.

Suddenly something shot out of Arthur's oversized gut. It landed on the ground, and then a tentacle erupted from it's back.

"What the hell is that?" Dagon asked worriedly.

The little creature fired something at him. It hit in the shoulder, but his armor protected him. It looked like a sharpened piece of bone. Dagon swung his axe down on the creature and cleaved it in two. Two more identical creatures launched from Arthur, still screaming.

"Kill them before they can shoot you!" Charon shouted.

With that they started to slice off the tentacles and then stabbing the smaller creatures. Despite this, more of them popped out of Arthur, still screaming in pain.

"We need to kill it, or we will never be rid of these things!" Francois stated, pointing his great sword at Arthur.

Francois ran towards him, ready to slash him with his large sword. When he was just a few feet away, a clawed tentacle shot forth from Arthur's stomach with incredible speed. Francois's body ran a few more steps, leaving his head rolling in the ground, before it collapsed.

"Stay away from it! Leliana, Secoria, use your bows!" Cassandra ordered.

The two women did as they were told, and arrows started to punch into Arthur. It took ten arrows before the creature finally stopped screaming. Leliana kept an arrow strung in her bow still, fear and nerves keeping her cautious. Looking next to her, she could see Secoria was incapable of doing the same, as she was shaking too much.

"Well...is it dead?" Marlin asked.

Cassandra cautiously approached it, with her long sword held in front of her. When she was close enough, she nudged its head with her sword. It showed no signs of life.

"It is dead, really dead this time." Cassandra said tiredly.

She frowned and sighed when she looked at Francois's decapitated body. She heard Leliana say a prayer for his passing.

"I am sorry about your man, Seeker." Charon said.

"I am too, I am too, but we cannot dwell on that right now. The cause of this...situation is still unknown. And we still have a missing man as well."

"I fear for the safety of the people here. Seekers, I realize that you have your own priorities, but I could use your assistance." Charon said.

"I'm sorry Charon, but I don't have time to.."

"We should help them Cassandra. These people do not know what they are threatened by." Leliana told her.

"And what about Malik?"

"I will go help look for him, but we have a responsibility to help these people."

"Fine, Charon we will help anyway we can. Leliana, find Malik."

"The healer's chambers are just back down this hall, there will be a sign." Charon told her.

Leliana was already running down the hall. Thankfully, the corruption became less prevalent and vanished entirely as she ran farther. Whatever the foul substance, it hadn't spread this far. She couldn't believe what she had seen. She thought Darkspawn were the worst fate that anyone could suffer, but that thing that Arthur was transformed into was so horrendous, so gruesome, so terrifying.

Thoughts of her nightmares returned, and she felt the beginnings of a migraine. She kept her eyes peeled for the sign, and she picked it out just a short run away. She picked up the pace, eager to see if Byrom had found Malik. Suddenly, she heard a loud shriek come echoing down the hall.

"What in the world?" Leliana asked aloud.

She drew her dagger and hugged the wall, sliding to the door. She peered around and almost fell back when a woman fell forward out of the door way.

"Help me, help me please!" The woman screamed, stretching her hand to Leliana.

Before Leliana could take it, two swords stabbed into her back, killing her. Only, they weren't swords. They were sharpened bones attached to spiderlike appendages, which were attached to the shoulders of some crawling monster! It looked like a man, but the body was cut, mangled, like Arthur's. It should be dead. Clearly it didn't think so, because it crawled over the dead womanafter Leliana.

It moved surprisingly fast, using the bladed appendages to pull itself along the ground. It growled at her, and it sounded like a man would, but more beast like. Leliana sidestepped it and tried to look for an opening. She remembered a time when she was a child and she was handling a live fish. She had never touched or held a fish before, or anything even remotely like it, and she was terrified. That same fear hit her now, despite he training. Gripping thenagger tighter, she kicked the monster in it's gruesome head, and then bent over to stab in in the neck. Normally this would have instantly killed almost any enemy, but the monster seemed completely unrated by it.

Leliana took a step back, leaving the dagger in the creatures neck. It swiped at her leg. The blade missed but tripped her up, and she fell over. Before she knew it the creature was on top of her. Leliana held one of it's clawed arms back with some difficulty, and needed to put her forearm to its throat. It was trying to bite her. It's mouth had sharp teeth, and the lower jaw was split in half. Small tentacles hung out of it's mouth.

Leiana couldn't help screaming in terror. She felt something tugging at her stomach, it felt like fingers. She let the creature bite down on her shoulder so that she could grab her dagger in its neck. She yelled as she stabbed it again and again in the neck, but it didn't seem to work. In a panic, she stabbed it in the side of the head, right in the ear. It was stunned for a second, but then attacked her again even more viciously.

"Leliana!" Someone shouted.

She didn't know who had shouted her name, and she didn't care.

"Help me!"

Lslain a saw Byrom come into view, carrying his mace. He raised the weapon and smashed it into the creature's back. The monster didn't stop, so he did so again, and again, and again. Each hit tenderized flesh and bone, but the monster didn't stop.

"Try something else!" Leiana told him.

Byrom smashed one of the arms of the monster, snapping the thin appendage in half. This finaly had some effect, and Leliana was able to push the monster off. She scrambled to her feet as Byrom smashed the midsection of the monster several more times, killing it.

"Are you okay?" Byrom asked her.

"Just...give me a moment."

She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath

"Yes I'm fine. Have you found Malik?"

"Yes." Byrom said solemnly.

"You have?" Leliana asked enthusiastically.

Byrom kneeled down over the dead monster.

"We both have." he said, frowning.

Leliana looked at the corpse, and noticed with horror that it wore remains of Seeker armor. She also realized why it had been crawling, it's leg was broken at the knee.

"By the maker!" Leliana said in disbelief.

She looked at its face, and it resembled Malik. Halfway down its body we're two human hands, she had felt them grabbing her.

"The healer and I were searching the room when Malik...this thing came crawling out from under the bed. It chased the healer and, well..." Byrom said, looking at the dead woman in the ground.

"Where were you? Why didn't you save her?" Leliana asked angrily.

Byrom went into the room and came back out carrying something. He dropped it to the ground and it made a squishy fleshy sounlooked was the size of a somewhat small dog. Skin, human skin, was stretched across its back like bat wings. A large sharp talon hung from the front of it.

"That thing came out of the darkness at me. It almost got me to." Byrom said.

He pointed to his forehead, a small gash bled slightly on it. Leliana looked down at Malik's head, it had a gaping hole in the forehead.

"Do you think that..." Byrom started to ask.

"This creature turned Malik into this? I think so." Leliana told him.

Byrom gulped down a knot in his throat.

"That could have been me." Byrom said quietly.

"But it's not. You killed that thing, and saved me. You are going to be fine, but we need to let Cassandra know what we have discovered. We fought another one of these creatures; something bad is happening in this fort."

Byrom still looked at Malik's transformed corpse, showing no signs that he heard her.

"Byrom." Leliana shook him to get his attention.

"Right, right of course. I am with you."

"Good, now let's move."

She pulled the dagger out of Malik's head and sheathed it.

"That is two funerals that must be performed." She said sadly.

"Two?"

"The rest of us encountered another creature, even more grotesque than this. Francois was killed by it."

"Dammit."

"We will mourn them later, now we need to act."

* * *

><p>The two of them hurried back down to the lower levels. Leliana noticed with horror that the corruption, the flesh like substance she had found near the entrance, was starting to spread.<p>

"What does that mean?" Byrom asked.

"It can't be good. If the corruption is an indicator of something, then ..."

"Run!" Someone shouted.

The two of them turned to see a group of people running towards, from the direction of the stairs to the dwarven city area it looked like.

"What's wrong?" Leliana tried to ask the fleeing people.

An angry roar was her answer, as another one of those creatures, looking like the same kind as what Malik was turned into, came running from where they had. Leliana pulled out her bow and shot an arrow into its chest, then another. The creature only staggered from the impact, though the damage was minimal. The creature snarled and charged her, the clawe arms sticking out of its shoulders swinging back and forth. Leliana shot it twice more, and Byrom readied his mace. With one more arrow to the body, the monster fall to the ground, sliding, and dead.

"Arrows aren't as effective against these creatures." Byrom stated, trying to pull one from the corpse.

The monster suddenly sprung at him, holding his back with its arms and trying to bite into his neck.

"Shit, help!"

Instead readying another arrow, Leliana pulled her dagger out and sliced one of the creatures arms off. That was the last bit of damage needed to kill it it seemed, as Byrom threw it off of him.

"Keep your wits about you; these monsters may have more surprises." Leliana told him.

"I hope not, but whatever those people were running from can't be good."

The two of them hurried down the pathway to the city ruins. The sounds of screams and snarls intensified. Leliana's headache worsened.

"Oh Maker..." Leliana exclaimed.

Those creatures, more than she was able to keep track of, they were attacking all the people. Men, women, children, they all ran for their lives as these monsters slaughtered them. Leliana saw Charon crushing one of them with a war hammer.

"Seeker!" Charon shouted to her.

"Let's go Byrom!"

They cut a path towards Charon, slicing off the limbs of whatever monster attacked them. A fire broke out, several torches and lamps set houses ablaze. Screams of terror could be heard from inside them, as well as growls.

"Charon, what's happening?"

"I don't know, these things are coming out of the stonework there is no end to them!"

Another monster came running at them. Charon close lined it with his hammer and then smashed it, turning its body into a broken and bloody mess with a few hits.

"I need to get these people out of here. Everyone, head for the surface!" Charon shouted.

Like the monsters had planned on him saying it, scores of them came pouring out of the pathway to the surface. The people that had already made the move there were slaughtered. They heard a loud thump, and then another. Something huge and monstrous came lumbering out of the shadows. It walked on all fours, and looked like it was made out of multiple people. It let out a deafening roar that echoed across the underground city.

"Oh Maker...what is that?" Byrom asked.

"Charon is there any other way out of her?" Leliana asked.

"No there isn't. Well... "

"Charon it's no longer safe here, if there is anywhere else people can go, anywhere, it must be better than here."

Charon was silent for a moment. Leliana remembered Sten, only a Qunari could be this calm in a situation like this.

"I hope I am not damning us to a worse fate...everyone move deeper into the ruins! Run deeper!"

* * *

><p><em>So I've finally shown you the Necormorphs. Kind of following the start of both Dead Space games, the characters end up moving farther into the enviroment following a sudden attack from the monsters. Read, review, and enjoy.<em>


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